Strong Enough
by FluffyNargles
Summary: Ginny Weasley was strong. She survived a whole year under Tom Riddle's thumb, only to fight him to the very end, keeping the monster from killing her fellow students… She survived the Department of Mysteries and came out with only a broken ankle, and even that barely slowed her down. Yes, Ginny Weasley was strong… But will it be prove to be enough for her sixth year at Hogwarts?


_Chapter One: Something Worth Fighting For_

**Ginny Weasley stood staring over the Black Lake**, her mind blissfully blank, though that only lasted a moment, until almost against her will, her eyes sought out the messy haired boy – no, _man _– that stood with his back to her, Ron and Hermione on either side of him - just as they always had been and would always undoubtedly be.

Just like she wanted to be, but wasn't _allowed. _Harry was a stupid prat, in her opinion.

"Ginny, listen…" he had said to her, not that long ago in a very quiet voice. She had had to lean closer to hear, though she knew what was coming. In some way, she had always known that those few bliss-filled, amazing weeks couldn't last, but that hadn't stopped her from wishing they could've. "I can't be involved with you anymore. We've got to stop seeing each other. We can't be together."

And Ginny had _smiled _– it was an odd smile, and horribly twisted, as she tried to fight off the stinging in her eyes, but nonetheless it still _was_. "It's for some stupid, noble reason, isn't it?" she had asked him in an ironic tone. When was Harry anything _but _noble?

And just like that, it was over. A few more sentences, a few feeble, understanding, and strong smiles, and they both had walked away. But Ginny knew in her heart that her feelings hadn't changed. In fact, they had only gotten stronger, and she felt a yearning for him that was so strong she had to keep herself from running to him and begging him to take her back, to kiss him for all she was worth, and run her hands through the black mass of hair that was so damn silky... To make him _understand._

"I care," was what Harry had said, and then he had even admitted that he wanted more time with her – but that was not meant to be, not right now, anyway. Those simple words… those few sentences, the short conversation that had ultimately broken her heart, that was all she had to get her through the coming months.

Some part of her was foolishly hoping, thinking that he couldn't have been serious, that he would _never_ leave her behind. After all they had been, he couldn't just _leave_. She knew that it would be dangerous, dangerous to be together, but it would be worth it, she knew, and _damn him _if she was going to let him throw it all away, just because of a mad bastard who was set to ruin everybody's happiness, no matter how momentary it may be. Ginny huffed and sat down on a large rock by the edge of the lake, still gazing in Harry's general direction.

How could he even think about giving up what they had? How was it possible that they had not even existed – every touch and every glance they had given each other? She remembered all the times by the Black Lake when it had finally just been the two of them, snogging and just generally being _happy _to be in each other's presence. She remembered lying on the bank of the lake next to him, looking into his bright green eyes behind his adorably smudged glasses, and wondering if her life could get any better.

Sure, there were many worries and Voldemort was never far from their thoughts and minds, but it had finally seemed like things were looking up... Like maybe, _just maybe_ they would all make it through this alive. She had said as much to him and she could swear he'd said he felt the same, could swear that he had said it was all because of her and the way she made him feel – as if he could do anything, like he was flying, he had said. It was terribly corny, and she had been surprised at that side of him, but she loved it nonetheless. Indeed, he had smiled his cute, little half-smile, showing off the dimple in his right cheek and brushed his hand through her red hair as he embarrassedly murmured into her ear. She remembered rolling her eyes, giggling in a distinctly girly way – which was something she would never admit to, mind. She _did _have a reputation to uphold, after all.

Ginny could admit, however, to herself, that she had believed everything he had told her, no matter how schmaltzy it had sounded, believed _him,_ in all his cheesiness. She had felt so important then, as if she could do anything she put her mind to, and Harry _would _win this war – because of her.

But maybe it had just all been a fool's paradise, brought on by their evanescent joy. What they had was incredible, made her breathless, and at times at a loss for words. It had to be, she had waited so long. But then, it had been _her _waiting, so maybe it was that big, that important to herself only.

But no, Harry had told her, in his own subtle way, with conviction and so much emotion that she had started, _"I care… How do you think I'd feel if this were your funeral and it was my fault?… I just wished I'd asked you sooner. We could've had ages... months... years maybe.." _

Harry glanced over his shoulder then, gazing at her with such a look that Ginny felt sure that her heart would burst right out of her chest. _Stay together, Weasley, _she scolded herself as Harry turned away from her. _Buck up and deal! You can do this! _

And then Ginny realised with a sudden cognisance and much self-disgust that she had been going on, crying and sympathising to herself these last few minutes like one of those wimpy girls in those trashy romance novels (which she, _of course, _had never read or begged to borrow from Hermione). No, Ginny wasn't the kind of girl that would cry at the drop of a hat, at a pinprick of a needle. In fact, Ginny prided herself on being the complete opposite! For Ginny there was going to be no more whining, no more doubting, and definitely no crying. She ran her hands over her face, rubbing at her cheeks as a gust of wind blew her hair wildly around her and slowly got to her feet.

She knew she was going to have to let Harry go, so he could go and do what he needed to do without the distraction that she surely was. But that didn't mean Ginny was content to sit idly by and twiddle her thumbs while everyone else worked to take down Voldemort. No, she would fight and do her part in this hell of a war.

_Because there was _definitely _something worth fighting for, _Ginny thought with a steely determination.

Weakly, Ginny managed a small smile, and trying futilely to ignore the pang in her heart, she turned back towards the castle and slowly began to walk. Because Harry was worth _every _single moment of the discomfort and pain that she was mow facing - she knew that without a doubt.

HGhgHGhgHGhgHGhgHGhgHGhgHG

The Hogwarts Express never seemed so cold and lonely before. Ginny sat in a compartment all by herself, gazing out of the window, but not really seeing the platform outside with all the hustle and bustle of students eagerly, but nonetheless downtrodden, clamouring to get aboard. With Professor Dumbledore's funeral just days before, all the student were understandably a bit less enthusiastic about returning home, even if it was about two months before the normal end of term.

She couldn't say she blamed any of them, really, a few more months of summer wasn't on her list of things to look forward to. In fact, Ginny was sort of dreading it, what with Bill and Fluer's coming wedding. Of course, it wasn't so much Phlegm - Fluer, Ginny corrected myself with a half-hearted snort — that she was dreading anymore, as she more than proved herself worthy of Bill the last time I'd seen her in the hospital wing just after the battle… But, instead it was the agonising wait of seeing Harry again whilst putting up with Mum's demanding disposition over the small, minute details of the wedding that was being held in the backyard of the Burrow.

Ginny could just hear her mum's screeches now, "Change the sheets, Ginny! Company is coming in just three days!" or "Hop to it, dear, we don't have much time to set these up!" and my favourite line, "Oh! What will I make for dinner next week? I've got to write out a menu!"

Wincing to herself, Ginny turned her attention towards the sliding door of my lonesome compartment, hearing voices coming steadily closer…

"Oh, honestly, Ronald!" a very familiar, haughty voice sounded rather loudly. "You'd think that at a time like this you'd be thinking of something other than food! We haven't been on the train for more than five minutes, and I'm already sick of hearing you whine after the trolley lady!" Did Hermione realise just how loudly she — erm, scolded sometimes?

"Well, sorry for being a perfectly normal growing boy, Hermione!" her brother's deep voice sounded. The footsteps were coming closer, and she willed them not to stop. Honestly, she didn't know if it would be able to sit peacefully in a compartment with not only her idiotic brother, Ron, and his soon-to-be snog buddy (She didn't doubt it would happen very soon, it was a long time coming — and she had some big money riding on it), but also Harry. And even if she hadn't heard his wonderfully bass voice, Ginny knew that he could be found wherever the other two members of the 'Golden Trio' (as Fred and George had jokingly dubbed them) happened to be. Where one or two were, the third was never very far behind.

And so she waited with bated breath as they came painstakingly closer, and averted my eyes away from the half-open sliding door. "Oh, er, Hermione," his voice finally said. "I don't think… uh-"

"Oh, don't be silly, Harry," Hermione said, and I could picture her rolling her large chocolate brown eyes, her bushy hair swaying every which way. "It's just Ginny."

And still her heart stopped. Yes, she was just Ginny - little, ickle Ginny Weasley, and it stung that he didn't want to sit in a compartment with her, though she had been just thinking the same thing. It hadn't been a proper breakup - the kind where they both hated each other or whatever. They had parted on good terms, so why should they be acting this way? It made her clench her teeth in sudden anger at the situation.

Stupid, bloody Dark Lords - they had to ruin everything, didn't they? "Must be part of their job description…" Ginny grumbled to herself.

"Oh, erm… well, I think-"

"Just shut up, Harry," Ron said, as if he found the whole situation mildly amusing.

Hermione pushed open the door, carrying Crookshanks's carriage and plopped down across from her, smiling. "Hi, Ginny," she said pleasantly.

"Er, hi," Ginny answered, as Ron lumbered in, struggling with the burden of his trunk and Pigwidgeon's cage, along with Hermione's, who obviously had shoved it into his arms before she stormed my compartment.

"I hope you don't mind, Ginny," Hermione said, looking pointedly at Harry, who in turn seemed to suddenly find his old trainers very interesting and his cheeks darkened for a second as he fiddled with Hedwig's cage.

"Not at all," Ginny deadpanned, raising her eyebrows and sitting back on the bench. But inside she was nervous as hell. She couldn't say why exactly, just that her palms had started to sweat and the side of her nose itch. She shifted awkwardly, her face pinking slightly. "Not at all."

"Er, great!" Hermione said, her face suddenly lighting up in an overly cheerful smile. "Erm, are you reading that, Ginny?" she asked, pointing to the Daily Prophet that Ginny had thrown on the seat upon entering, and forgotten about.

"Oh, uh - no… Go ahead, take it. It's a bunch of rubbish anyway." Ginny groused, glaring slightly at the offending paper, before shoving it into Hermione's hand. Meanwhile, Ron had sat on the bench next to Hermione, sprawling out like he was about to take a nap, leaving Harry to take the seat next to her.

"Yes, well, it would be, wouldn't it?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows risen slightly as her eyes moved along the lines. Harry awkwardly sat as far away from her as he could get. "Most things are these days."

"Why do you read it then?" Ron demanded sounding exasperated. "If it's rubbish, I mean."

Hermione huffed. "Ronald, did you even listen to me _at all_ this past year? Or were you too busy thrashing about with _Lav-Lav_? We've had this same conversation about eleven different times now!"

"Well, let's have it one more time," Ron told her in a snippy voice, his ears turning red, probably smarting from the 'Lav-Lav' comment. "Just tell me again."

"If you'd have listened the first time, I wouldn't have to! But as always, you have the emotional range of a teaspoon and an attention span to match!" Hermione shot back, her voice rising what seemed to be twelve octaves.

Ginny sighed loudly, sharing a knowing, somewhat amused look with Harry before both of them seemed to remember they were supposed to feel awkward. They quickly looked away.

_Oh well_, Ginny thought sarcastically, as her brother started shouting, making her wince. _Only about five more hours to go._

_**A/N: Well, hello there :) You've found my newest obsession! This is story is fairly new. I have only written a few chapters, but I thought I'd share the start of it with you, to see what sort of response I get. It was originally a one-shot, and is over at SIYE under the same **_**_pen name - FluffyNargles. If you'd like to check that out, go ahead._**

**_(Just a word of warning: SIYE might just suck you in, and you might find yourself spending hours over there just reading all the fantabulous stories. Stranger things have happened.)_**

**_Anyway, I'm not one of those people who say, "When I have this many reviews, I'll update." But I would really appreciate it if you would leave me your thoughts. They sort of motivate me, haha. So please, do! I wasn't originally even planning on posting this, so your thoughts on whether I should continue with it would be the greatest treasure I could ever have :)_  
><em>_**

**_Thanks and keep reading! - Ella_**

**_PS - Of Love and Nargles is still up and going. I'm just waiting for the inspiration to hit me for the next chapter. I've written quite a bit more, but I've held off updating until I have about 5 chapters. So the next time its updated, there'll be eleven chapters! Yay! And after that, there won't be much more. I'm thinking there should be about 15-20 chapter for that story._**


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